Erneuerbare Energien: Fachleute warnen: Reiches Netzpaket produziert unnötige Kosten

Renewable Energy Experts Warn of Uneconomical Energy Package

A package of measures proposed by Germany's Federal Economics Minister Katherina Reiche has sparked debate within the renewable energy sector and among power grid operators. Despite Reiche's modifications, energy professionals and industry representatives still see weaknesses in the plan. Critics argue that financing costs for renewable energy sources will be unnecessarily high due to the "Redispatch reserve" provision.

This provision would eliminate compensation for renewable energy facilities when they need to be de-rated due to overloaded power grids, even for existing facilities. The proposal was criticized when first announced in February, with Reiche facing accusations of slowing down renewable energy expansion. Reiche eventually made adjustments, reducing the entitlement to compensation to up to 20 percent of the annual produced electricity amount.

However, energy experts like Lukas Günner, a market expert at Aurora Energy Research, warn that this reduction is overly simplistic. Günner cites real-world examples suggesting that generation losses would likely be much lower in practice. He also points out that pascalization of costs can lead to higher financing costs, making projects uneconomic or more expensive to implement.

This could result in lower bid prices and higher system costs, ultimately leading to higher electricity prices. Alternative solutions like individual network connection contracts, or Flexible Connection Agreements (FCAs), are suggested as a more tailored and cost-effective approach. FCAs allow for more precise planning and can help balance the development of renewables and grids. However, the energy package does not prioritize FCAs as an alternative to the Redispatch reserve.